Community Involvement

East Herts People is keen to hear from anyone who has a desire to become more involved in the community. If you feel that standing as an Independent Councillor is an appealing prospect then EHP can help you.

First of all it is important that you establish yourself in the community. Becoming involved in various projects within the local area gives you the opportunity to see if you like being a more involved community member. There are many different things you can do and by establishing a community profile you can give something back, find out what is important to local people, and start to build up support should you wish to stand for election as an Independent Councillor.

Here are some examples:

Become a school governor - Local schools in Hertford are always keen to hear from potential school governors. School governors work closely with the head teacher to make important decisions about the running of the school. You would be involved in deciding who becomes the head teacher and would be part of the decision making process regarding education matters and improving the standard of the school. It is an important role and you would be responsible for holding the school to account on key issues. If your child attends a school then the obvious way in to this position is to look out for parent governor elections and nominate yourself to stand. The other option is to approach the school and see of they will co opt you.

Join Neighbourhood Watch - This is a good way of involving yourself in community life. Neighbourhood Watch schemes are an important way of tackling crime. For more information about how you can join your local neighbourhood watch scheme then follow the links below

Become a volunteer helper within the Scout Association or Girlguiding UK. Working with young people in a volunteer setting is a rewarding and enjoyable way to give something back to the community. The Scouts and Guides are always on the look out for new volunteers to help lead their various groups such as Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, Rainbows, Brownies and Guides.

Get involved with Hertford County Hospital. Becoming involved with the NHS is another rewarding way to give something back to the community. Hertford County Hospital are always on the lookout for volunteers to help in various capacities be it through the hospital radio, clerical work or helping on wards. There are also opportunities to become a member of the hospital trust which means you would be able to have your say about the way things are run, creating a more accountable NHS service for the local community. To find out more have a look at East and North Herts NHS Trust

Become a volunteer with the Citizen's Advice Bureau in Hertford. The CAB help people solve various legal and other problems and provide free advice. If you have time to spare and would like to be involved with an organisation such as this then go to Citezens Advice Bureau to find out more.

Join St John's Ambulance as a volunteer. Not only will this help St John's Ambulance continue to offer life saving assistance to the people of Hertford, it will be a good way to meet the local people and be involved in local events. There are several options for getting involved: become a first aider, a youth leader or join in a support role capacity such as administration or fundraising. For more information see St John Ambulance

Volunteer with the Red Cross in Hertford. There are four main ways in which you can get involved. Emergency response and first aid volunteering, health and social care volunteering, migration services volunteering, charity shop volunteering. For more information: British Red Cross